How Was I Supposed To Know?

Matt

"Your an asshole."

I grit my teeth and pounded on the wall of the bus to release some fury. I have no idea why I said what I did. I basically told Alanna to her face that I thought she was a slut. But then again I know what I saw. She was staring at Haner like some lovesick teenager! I mean really? What the fuck!

"This is bullshit." I hissed to no one in particular, clenching and unclenching my fists. After a few deep breaths and a quick visualization of Brian with a bloody face, I felt ready to leave the confines of the girl's bunk area and find Alanna but the door opened gently.

Aliyah's head popped in with a worried look in her eyes, "I heard you were pissed." she sighed, coming into the room, nodding at the wall of the bus with a small dent in it. "Tell me what's wrong." Aliyah, settled onto her bunk, tucking her legs beneath her. I took one look at her concerned face and and felt my rage slowly fade. She was like my sister and biggest confidante.

"I saw Alanna gawking at Haner at the show and I just freaked.... I yelled at the Berry's and nearly broke my fist punching the walls." I shook my head while Aliyah just listened.

"When Zack came to pick up Layla after he rented his car, I went to get her. That was when I asked you two to leave and I guess you guys followed Layla out." I felt the anger return to me, making me grit my teeth again. "Fuck, Aliyah, I pretty much said she wants to bang Haner and is just using me... to get to him."

Aliyah had her phone in her hand and was just glancing down at it, at a loss for words I assumed. "Matt... wow... I'm not sure what to say. Do you think she would prefer him?" she asked tentatively.

I tried very hard not to go after Brian and beat him senseless but I managed. "I don't know. Some part of me feels she cares about me. When we're together it's incredible. We haven't been together for a long time but I can feel myself changing." I paced back and forth in front of her as her face began to go blank in thought.

"But then I see her look at Brian, or I see him looking at her with that face or hear her giggle whenever he says something witty to her..... Damnit she's my girl not his!" I boomed, unable to hold back any longer. Aliyah flinched, finally looking up from her phone.

"What am I supposed to do?" I pleaded with my sister, sinking to my knees, needing her advice more than ever.

Aliyah

I felt bad as Matt paced around, telling me his deepest thoughts. He was my brother in so many ways. I wanted to help him but how?

"You want to help your brothers don't you?" she hissed, a wild gleam in her eyes, the need for vengeance evident in her voice.

"Of course but- won't this make it worse? What if she's not that bad?" I tried to reason with her, scared she had finally snapped.

"Not that bad?! Are you kidding me?! Her and her stupid friend are gold digging whores! You need to help me with this! Just don't let that guard of yours down at all around her, treat her like the shit she is, I don't care just make surehe is free from her!" she spit, eyes blazing.

After a moment of weighing my options I decided I would have to trust her.

"Ok... I'll do it..."

"Damnit she's my girl not his!" Matt yelled, bringing me from my thoughts with a violent jerk. "What am I supposed to do?" he begged me for an answer and my heart nearly broke. That was my question as well.

I had spent some time with Alanna and despite what she thought, Alanna was really nice, sweet, funny and when she smiled at me it seemed in such genuine friendship, I wished I never made that deal.

"Matt if you care about her this much... maybe you should apologize to her and try to move on. I know it isn't much but I think it's what you should do." I wrestled many different options of what to say. In my heart of hearts I knew that what Matt said about her was true. She did seem to be attracted to Brian and he to her but in the end are Matt and Alanna the ones that should be together?

I had settled with the response that Matt needed to hear most.

He visibly relaxed, nodding his head and leaning in to hug me tightly. I returned the gesture with everything I had. "Thank you so much Aliyah. Love you." he kissed the side of my head and bolted out the door.

I stayed behind, sighing and wondering what the fuck I should be doing...

3rd Person POV

As Aliyah pondered her dilemma with the mysterious woman, Matt asked everyone on the bus if they had seen Alanna. Everyone he asked responded with a confused "no". Matt hoped that she didn't get so upset as to leave the tour all together, after all he knew how girls could get.

Somewhere in a bunk with the privacy curtain closed tightly shut, Alanna Valentine was drying her eyes, comforted by Brian Haner Jr.'s words. He finished telling her an amusing true story about Jimmy Sullivan yelling in the faces of the clowns at Halloween haunted houses, making her laugh.

Their eyes locked after the laughter died down, both wondering what it would be like to kiss once more. Both wondering if the same jolt of electricity would join them as thier lips united. Alanna knew she was playing with fire but she wanted to feel the control, she wanted to see how close they would come this time.

Brian wanted the same. Never had he felt such a fierce protective instinct in his life, nor had his heart ever beat so fast with the sight of a single person. As the spoke, it felt natural, like they knew each other for years. He hated seeing her kiss Matt. He loathed witnessing Matt's stupid grin after that night she came to his bed, barely in any clothes.

Brian tried hard not to remember that night. For many reasons but mainly because Alanna had been so vulnerable at the time. Telling him her secrets and her past. His stomach felt full of lead when she had described how heartless her mother was. Their lips nearly met....

Alanna

"Is it right?" I whispered, scared someone would hear me or that I was dreaming. Brian's abysmal eyes, glowed with something more than lust. He swallowed hard, his breath sweet amd warm on my lips.

"Honestly? No but last time I checked I didn't do the fucking right thing." he explained simply, if he came any closer it would happen.

Buried deep down I knew many things. That this was wrong. That Dimitri would return for me and Layla. That Brian's hair dangling over his forehead in the dim light, looking at me with an intense need was one of the hottest things I'd ever seen. And that I felt kissing him was a neccessary evil for the both of us. So without any further thought.....I tugged him to me, feeling his soft, feather light hair in my fingers and kissed him.